Socket for snap fasteners



May 4, 1948. o. J. HUELSTER 2,440,684

' SOCKET FOR SNAP FASTENERS I Filed Sept. '28, 1944 fig. 2.

IN V EN TOR.

Ottb-JHuelster BY I Patented May 4, 1948 SOCKET FOR SNAP FASTENERS Otto J. Huelster, Waterbury, Conn, assignor to Scovill Manufacturing Company,

Waterbury,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application September 28, 1944, Serial No. 556,234

13 Claims. 1

Thisinvention relates to the'socket members of snap fasteners, wherein the socket member engages a stud member. More particularly, the invention deals with the construction of the gripper fingers of socket members of the kind under consideration, wherein the gripper fingers have beaded edges formed with a radius greater than that of the tubular wall portion defined by the fingers to produce of a combination of four fingers in a socket a more or less rectangular stud receiving opening, providing point contact of a cylindrical stud with the beads of each of said gripper fingers.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and in which the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a socket made according to my invention shown mounted upon a support and also showing in side elevation a stud mounted in the socket.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing a part of the socket detached.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the socket, as seen in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the socket, as seen inFig. 2.

Fig. 5' shows diagrammatic cross-sectional views illustrating in one half the position of gripper fingers engaging a stud, as in Fig. 1 and, in the other half, opposed gripper fingers in the operation of passing the beaded endsthereof over the stud head, inner surfaces only of the gripper fingers being shown.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the use-of a spring ring in stifiening the action of the gripper fingers.

Fig. 7 is a partial plan view of the structure, as seen in Fig. 6, with part of the construction broken away and in section.

Fig, 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing only part of the construction and showing a modification; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing another form of construction.

The socket structure more fully hereinafter described, employs yieldable gripper fingers for engagement with the stud head which include beads or other projections on the fingers presenting curved surfaces engaging the stud head, thus minimizing frictional engagement with the head in coupling and uncoupling the stud with the 2 socket. Further, as specifically shown, the bead or projection on the fingers is of considerably greater radius than the radius of the supporting wall of each finger or the tubular wall of the socket, thus producing a more or less square opening for the reception of the round head. This square opening presents on the fingers points or lines of contact with the head approximately centrally of the fingers, which minimizes the frictional engagement of the stud head and also minimizes the amount of expansion of the fingers in the passage of the head into and out of the socket member.

In Figs. 1-5 inclusive, is shown one form of construction which I employ, and in Fig. 1, is diagrammatically illustrated an assemblage of fastener parts. In this figure, l4 represents the socket part and I5 the stud part. These parts are respectively arranged on independent supports l6 and IT. The socket member l8 of the part It is shown detached in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing. This member comprises an imperforated downwardly and outwardly flared wall portion I9, sometimes referred to as the breast wall of the member, and this wall terminates at its periphery in an inturned and curved flange 20 adapted to receive the outwardly flared prongs 2| of a mounting ring 22 employed to secure the member Hi to the support It, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The inner end of the wall l9 terminates in a tubular wall portion defined, in the construction shown, by four circumferentially arranged gripper fingers 23. The gripper fingers 23 are arranged within the circumferential boundaries of the wall [9 and terminate at their lower ends in outwardly turned beaded projections 24. The wall portion of the fingers 23, which may .be

termed the supporting walls, are concentric with.

respect to the axis of the socket member; whereas the beaded projections 24- are formed eccentric with respect to the walls of the fingers and having a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of said walls to provide inner surfaces 25 for engagement with the head 26 of the stud partv I5. These inner surfaces normally produce a more or less square opening, as will clearly appear from a consideration of Fig. 3 of the drawing. In other words, the distances between the opposed center portion 25a of the curved surfaces 25 are only slightly greater than the distances between the opposed corners of the beads 24,-for example, as indicated by the lead lines to the reference character 21, in Fig. :3 of the drawing. On the other hand, the diametrically opposite corners of the slots or slits 28 are 3 spaced apart a greater distance than either of the other two opposed dimensions. It will thus be seen that, in the passage of the stud head 26 into the socket and over the surfaces 25, the enlarged portion 25 of the stud head will bear upon the central portions of the surfaces 25 in a more or less pointor tangentcontact, ubstantially asillustrated to the right o f iFi' crim drawing "andth'e corners; as at'ZT, 'will be abso lutely free of the head. By providing roundedlO or beaded projections 24 a smooth and easy actionis provided in passing the rounded stud;head lnto and out of the socket. It will also be apparent that the frictional engagement is-inateiiall y mimur mized. In Fig. 8 of the drawing is shown a slightmodl fication of the construction shownimFig-selg-Bginy elusive, in which the beaded projection 39 at the ends of the gripper fingers 3! are turnedihwardly rather than outwardly, as will appear in Figs. 1

"2* ---"'tlie d;r'awing i' Asidefrom this-structural {the socletmeniber' cf SI iII'ibe-Ithe: ast e' socket-member hovdnirflEigrQixthe: imperfora *dwallti being'theasameiastlie wall l9 nd heflan e-erastnehange 25.1 It will be; apparent that with the structure shown :in' .Fig. 8;? asf-wel as hat showrr inwigzfiithe proj'ectronsrorf b'a s 4 the 'in'side?and-:out nae diam ers-of tlie supporting wansor the g ri'pw piffi'l' er the se described herein; arid also adaptsit'he sdekeememeer rer use "'a's astud: adapted; to em-8 gage a socket having a rigid wall operatin'gfiuponi tilebetrjsunaceos the gripper fingersii lhthe first ins t a-nc e, the fingersre fidiediqldtwaldlyllfi 5 e fasteriefpar'tsland,irf'the'se'condiln" the'fln'gers are fleXed" -inwardly1-' As'so'cketl tyrg'es oi studs are well-known; no specific use fofa the'latter 's here deemedtdbejiiecesfsary.i

' 5 I and"fl of the -drawing, I have; shown? of theconstruction sii "rr in Fig's'l and aild' this modification Sim; if onenges fsrmmgme enlargements orfbeads' 3'4 on in e1 ends'foigrippefjfingersideopen" afid ofg-r er diameter to"foriir'within the beads re csse f or the reception pr a' split spningsring: Sliii'TIi s ring is enipleyedito reihforc the 'sl 'rin priope iities of gripper fihgersl=-whih"might have a slightisp ften'sion, j lt is hei'e m me borrie":ini m'nfdt 'with'my'novelc Qstructionim provi 1 cc'e'ntr'ic beariiig surfaices o greater raw a sfheret' reredes'cribed, thespringproperties? the coup rig ffisfm e I st ndpelnt ornavihgimnimizew contributed the gripper-fingers. In

ndies; it will be 'desi-rabie itc amplify 01- orfiof a spring;

'alsoma. pro ections ti i have ecf radii is" than eries i s nieiriberf differs thejrrlember I'Spri mar the'ffdrrnatlonlof'thebeads 45: at'thejri' This :adapts tlie secret" memberi'f'or':

I fingers:

of the drawing the beads 24 may be said to be substantially circular in form, whereas in Fig. 9, the beads M are semicircular and disposed only upon inner surfaces of the fingers l2. This construction will adapt the socket member for use in connection with studs of the general type and kind shown at l5 in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Aside froni' th-i's structural change; the'rsockiet member diffs the same'as the member l8 shown in Fig. 8. In other words, the beads ll will be of the same general eccentric contour as the beaded projections l l establishing thereby the more or less point contactrlith the stud part centrally of each of-the -fingers=in;thesaine manner as is illustrated *at th ght-"of liigi 5 of the drawing.

' Mi -"novel gripper finger construction may be said-to: provide: oneach gripper finger of a socket, meansto establish a single point of contact with a-bilihdriiral stud head movable into and out of the socket in the operation of coupling stud and socketitparts '2 of: a fastener: In: the ipre'sentaill'ustrati'ongiarrdziby way ofsexeimpleyzthisfis accom pl-ishe'dibyr'antarrangement:ofiour gripperafingers' which:fresultszinz'the'iormatiorrrot::a:subst'antiallyisquareeopeningrhetweenftliei'gripperends of said' fingers? forrtheareception:iofxthe *studrhea; 2 t- How-" eve r 'ia'izl es's error .gneaterinumber: offfirigermmhyt-bei employed; 2' When:- other numbers a of '3 fingers are? employed;'.: the: contour ofrthe opening?- will be? modifiedt: in '1 proportion to'. the arrangement-Foi fingers:

My invention: as tillustraitedii'n the accompany-' ing drawing is applied tosocket partsitoi'rrelae tivelTy thin'tconstruction as mountedupbnther'support ltherefor; thus iacili't'ating lanndiering ioiethei supports:- "Itiwillia'lsot-be apparentthatimalleine stances; the "gripperyfirrgersincluding th zbeadedii orf'enlarged:endscthereofi areitcompletelya disposed: withinther circum'f erentiai 1 b'ound aries1of-the* im perforated wall. portion; fsom'etimes referred'itoeasi theibreasto wall 'Ofi thetsocketwmember. 'Ihus= in laundering; .thisawall protectsithe'rfingers againsti anyvcrushings-strains, rand maintainspropr; funcs: tion and operatiorr'zoft'the socket member--in.r-en-- gaging and'fdisen'ga'ging thestud part'at :a-ll'itim's.

having a circumferentially continuous'rigidiwalla terminating atiitsiperiphery in an inturned curved annula a flange; a; plurality. or:'circumferehtiallyv amrange'd? gripper fingers extending integrally: from theiinrrer end" of: said 1 wall and forming: a

st'ud receiving-Whore arranged. within 'circuinfer'fen ti'a'l boundaries of said wall; .sai'di fingersr'having't at their lower ends beaded projectionsextending; into said bore "byond 'thlimits' of sai'd fingers,

said fingers: being curved concentrically with re-'- spect to the axis of said bore-,i'andfsaidfheader?v ends having curved surface's'feccentric to -the curvature of said fingers iandformed'orr a radius-3 greater than the radius ofthe curvature ot*saidf 2*)- 3 socket? -pait -forsnaip faeterrers; asaiidtpar't? having a circumferentially continuous rigid w'a'ilf? tefihihatifig at it"s eriphery 'ili an in'tlllfid curved annular flange a plurality of ci'rcum-feri entiallir arranged g-ripper' fih'grsextending ntegrally ffointheinner end ofsaidwalland'forrn Y ingfa"stud-"receiving bore arranged withinici cumirential boi'iiidaries of said "walk-said fingers" having their lower ends""beaded" projec'tibiis extending intosaidboreb'eyondthe'limits said fiiig'ers'; said fihg ers being curved concentiic allywith respect to the axis of said bore, said beaded ends having curved surfaces eccentric to the curvature of said fingers and formed on a radius greater than the radius of the curvature of said fingers, and said beaded ends of the fingers projecting beyond outer surfaces of the fingers.

3. A socket part for snap fasteners, said part having a circumferentially continuous rigid wall terminating at its periphery in an inturned curved annular flange, a plurality of circumferentially arranged gripper fingers extending integrally from the inner end of said wall and forming a stud receiving bore arranged within circumferential boundaries of said wall, said fingers having at their lower ends beaded projections extending into said bore beyond the limits of said fingers, said fingers being curved concentrically with respect to the axis of said bore, said beaded ends having curved surfaces eccentric to the curvature of said fingers and formed on a radius greater than the radius of the curvature of said fingers, the beaded ends of the fingers forming collectively an annular recess on said fingers, and a spring ring mounted in said recess.

4. A socket part for snap fasteners, said part having a circumferentially continuous rigid wall terminating at its periphery in an inturned curved annular flange, a plurality of circumferentially arranged gripper fingers extending integrally from the inner end of said wall and forming a stud receiving bore arranged within circumferential boundaries of said wall, said fingers having at their lower ends beaded projections ex tending into said bore beyond the limits of said fingers, said fingers being curved concentrically with respect to the axis of said bore, said beaded ends having curved surfaces eccentric to the curvature of said fingers and formed on a radius greater than the radius of the curvature of said fingers, and the eccentric surfaces of the beaded ends of said fingers collectively forming a restricted opening in said socket member of substantially rectangular form.

5. In snap fasteners employing socket and stud parts, a socket part having a tubular stud receiv ing portion defined by circumferentially arranged gripper fingers of essentially cylindrical curvature, the free ends of said gripper fingers having inwardly projecting gripper ends, and said gripper ends having curved surfaces of a greater radius than the radius of curvature of said fingers, forming at the end of said stud receiving portion a restricted passage of substantially rectangular form.

6. In snap fasteners employing socket and stud parts, a socket part having a tubular stud receiving portion defined by circumferentially arranged gripper fingers of essentially cylindrical curvature, the free ends of said gripper fingers having inwardly projecting gripper ends, and said gripper ends having curved surfaces of a greater radius than the radius of curvature of said fingers, forming at the end of said stud receiving portion a restricted passage having stud engaging contact points substantially centrally of each of said gripper ends.

7. In snap fasteners employing socket and stud parts, a socket part having a tubular stud receiving portion defined by circiunferentially arranged gripper fingers of essentially cylindrical curvature, the free ends of said gripper fingers having inwardly projecting gripper ends, said gripper ends having curved surfaces of a greater radius than the radius of curvature of said fingers, forming at the end of said stud receiving portion a restricted passage having stud engaging contact points substantially centrally of each of said gripper ends, the curvature of the surfaces of said gripper ends being eccentric to the curvatureof said fingers, a spring ring encircling said fingers, and means on the fingers retaining the spring ring against displacement from said fingers.

9. In snap fasteners employing socket and stud parts, a socket part comprising a socket member of tubular form, the bore of said member being defined by circumferentially arranged gripper fingers, said fingers having a predetermined curvature in defining the cross-sectional contour of the bore of said socket member, free end portions of said fingers having stud engaging portions projecting into the bore defined by said fingers, said stud engaging portions forming a restricted passage in the bore of said fingers for engagement with the stud part, and said stud engaging portions presenting on each finger, centrally with respect to side edges thereof, restricted bearing surfaces for engagement with the stud part.

10. A socket part for coupling and uncoupling with a stud part of snap fastener devices, said socket part having a tubular bore, defined by circumferentially arranged independently flexing gripper fingers, each gripper finger being curved intermediate side edges thereof in defining a bore of predetermined cross-section by all of said fingers, and gripper means at the free end por= tions of said fingers presenting intermediate side portions of the fingers bearing surfaces engaged by the stud part in coupling and uncoupling the same with said socket member and in maintaining side portions of said fingers in spaced relation to said stud part.

11. A socket part for coupling and uncoupling with a stud part of snap fastener devices, said socket part having a tubular bore, defined by aircumferentially arranged independently flexing gripper fingers, each gripper finger being curved intermediate side edges thereof in defining a bore of predetermined cross-section by all of said fingers, gripper means at the free end portions of said fingers presenting intermediate side portions of the fingers bearing surfaces engaged by the stud part in coupling and uncoupling the same with said socket member and in maintaining side portions of said fingers in spaced relation to said stud part, and said bearing surfaces being rounded to minimize frictional engagement with the stud part.

12. A socket part for coupling and uncoupling with a stud part of snap fastener devices, said socket part having a tubular bore, defined by circumferentially arranged independently flexing gripper fingers, each gripper finger being curved intermediate side edges thereof in defining a bore of predetermined cross-section by all of said fingers, grip r means at the free end portions of sai'etaflngersz presentingqintermediate side-portions ofithewfingers bearing surfaces engaged by the; studypant-r in coupling and, uncoupling the same witl'rzsaid socketmember and-in maintaining side portions of said fingers in spaced relation to said stud. part, saidbearing '.surfaces 1. being-.rounded torminimizefrictional engagement withthe stud par-hand said.fbearing;;surfaces having-a1 curv-ature; the;- radius; of which is greater 7 than theradi-usmmhecurvature 'of'said gripper fingers,

13'; In socket parts -for' coupling and-uncouplingwithya studzpart of snap. fastener devices; said socket part comprisingasocket 'memberhaving a; tubular: bore; the tubular: bore beingdefined.-

cireumferentiallys arranged independently 15g flexing-gripper fingersyeachg-ripper finger being curved-intermediate side edges thereof in defin ing -a bOre -01 predetermined cross-sectionby all.

portions: of the fingers ioearingz surfaces engagedr by the.- stud part-in coupling "and: uneoupli-ng the same wtih said-socketmember and-in maintaina-v ing side portions; of said fingers in spaced-rela tion I to said stud part; and saidgripper? means comprising beads disposed on inner surfacesionly of said fingers.

O'II'O J. HUELS'I ER.-

EEF-ERENCES CITED The following referenses are of IECOldFiD. the

file of this? patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name- Date:-

1,'7,76,513 Knutson Sept; 23;:1930; 

